Out-of-home VR attraction chain The VOID may soon reach a city near you. The company recently announced plans to introduce 25 new locations through 2022, more than doubling its current footprint.
Just a week prior to the July 25th announcement, the company announced that it had officially opened three new entertainment center locations in Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Washington D.C., totalling in 13 ‘premium’ locations (out of 16 permanent locations) now open to the public.
The Void offers multi-user VR experiences where players wear headsets and backpacks while physically walking around a ‘stage’ which is layered with the virtual reality experience. Real haptics like shaking floors, gusts of wind, and even smells are used to increase immersion.
VR experiences at The Void include recognizable IP from Wreck-It Ralph and Star Wars, likely as a direct result of the company being chosen for inclusion in Disney’s 2017 accelerator. Other content a Ghostbusters experience and a steampunk-themed collaboration with Ninja Theory, with more promised experiences from Marvel and Disney on the way.
The result of a new partnership with major commercial real estate company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), The Void will launch 25 new permanent locations through 2022.
“The Void aims to elevate the perception of how consumers currently see and interact with virtual reality,” states The Void Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Curtis Hickman, in the company’s announcement.
The Void currently operates 16 locations in 11 states across the US, and one location in Dubai. The upcoming locations are slated to begin appearing across California, Illinois, New Jersey, and parts of Europe. Not all 25 upcoming locations have been announced yet, but more information is available on the company’s ‘locations’ page.
“Locations opening this summer mark the beginning of rapid growth and continued expansion for The Void,” the company’s official release statement continues. “The locations will be launching with Star WarsTM: Secrets of the Empire, the award-winning experience by ILMxLAB and Lucasfilm and Ralph Breaks VR by ILMxLAB created in collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios.”
While initially beginning operations in 2015 at a testing facility in Pleasant Grove, Utah, It seems as though the company’s original plan for a ‘flagship’ location in the same city has yet to pull through. Given the recent announcements and fresh partnership, however, the public may finally see that development reach finality.